Veggie prices go crashing

Pre-summer deluge of stock ends. The glut of vegetables, customary before the summer scarcity, has led to plummeting prices. Compared to prices a month ago, current rates have fallen, drastically for some vegetables such as brinjal, cauliflower and lady’s finger. Brinjal, which cost Rs.12 per kg in local markets, and Rs.10 per kg in Rythu Bazars in February, is now available for Rs.6 to Rs.7 across Rythu Bazars. Officials say the price is in fact jacked up in Rythu Bazars, to shield farmers against the fall ing prices.

The glut of vegetables, customary before the summer scarcity, has led to plummeting prices.

Compared to prices a month ago, current rates have fallen, drastically for some vegetables such as brinjal, cauliflower and lady’s finger.

Brinjal, which cost Rs.12 per kg in local markets, and Rs.10 per kg in Rythu Bazars in February, is now available for Rs.6 to Rs.7 across Rythu Bazars.

Officials say the price is in fact jacked up in Rythu Bazars, to shield farmers against the fall ing prices.

“At Bowenpally market, farmers are dumping the brinjal crop for as less as Rs.100 for a 50-kg bag. For some reason, rates at Rythu Bazars are maintained high,” said Padma, supervisor at Saroornagar Rythu Bazar.

Cauliflower on the other hand, costs Rs.8 per kg at Rythu Bazars, and is available for Rs.6 per kg at Bowenpally. Compared to its price last month, Rs.12 per kg, it is a lot cheaper now. Lady’s finger now costs about Rs.16 per kg when compared to last month’s Rs.22.

Quantities arriving at Rythu Bazars have also improved over the last month. At Saroornagar, against the last month’s arrivals of a little over 700 quintals on the same date, vegetables stock on Wednesday stood at 1,034 quintals.

“Farmers are bringing as many baskets as they can carry, even up to six quintals,” said Ms. Padma. Tomato arrivals have beaten all others, adding up 40 more quintals over last month. Brinjal too has arrived in 46 quintals, against the 35 quintals last month.

However, vegetables arriving from Bangalore such as capsicum, potato and colocasia have become dearer. Prices have been largely lower even when compared to last year’s rates. Officials attributed the green glut to generous monsoons this year.

Slideshow

Traffic got disrupted and main thoroughfares turned into canals due to a sudden unseasonal downpour in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon. The Hindu lensman Mohammed Yousuf captures the travails of commuters.